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Montevideo, March 29th 2024 - 14:19 UTC

 

 

Spanish government recommends Repsol ‘negotiations’ with Argentina over YPF

Thursday, September 12th 2013 - 01:55 UTC
Full article 12 comments
Garcia-Margallo said the government will support Spanish corporations but not stand for them   Garcia-Margallo said the government will support Spanish corporations but not stand for them

Spanish Foreign minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said that the ‘best solution’ for Spain and Argentina on the dispute over the seizure of a majority stake of YPF from Repsol is “negotiations” and emphasized that Madrid will back Spanish corporations in what it ‘considers convenient’.

Garcia-Margallo made the statement during the opening of the Spain International Forum which is organized by the New Economy Forum based in Madrid.

However “the Spanish government can’t substitute decisions that must be taken inside a company by its management” and it is the corporation that must decide whether “it wants to insist with the negotiation path, wait for better times or simply go to court”, pointed out the foreign affairs minister.

“The government is ready to support corporations but not to stand for corporations”, added Garcia-Margallo, before adding that the best solution for both countries are ‘negotiations’ and underlined President Mariano Rajoy administration’s  support by saying that “the government will back those corporations for what it considers is rightful and convenient”.

Garcia-Margallo statement follows an open discrepancy of Mexico Pemex with Repsol strategy of suing firms that partner with YPF. Pemex which is the Mexican state oil monopoly holds a 9% stake in Repsol.

Argentina seized Repsol's majority stake in YPF last year, arguing it had not done enough to invest in output. Since then Repsol has vowed to sue any firm that partners with YPF, to cover losses stemming from the expropriation which it says merits a 10.5 billion dollars reimbursement.

“We do not agree with the official position that Repsol adopted,” Pemex board member Fluvio Ruiz said at an event in Buenos Aires.

“States have all the right in the world to decide the public policies that are best for their countries,” Ruiz added.

His comments underscore tensions between Repsol and some shareholders as YPF seeks partners in Argentina's massive Vaca Muerta shale oil and gas deposits, one of the biggest unconventional reserves in the Western Hemisphere and an attractive prospect for global firms.

Ruiz confirmed Pemex is talking informally with YPF about participating in the Vaca Muerta venture in the future.
 

Top Comments

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  • Elena

    I really think it would be better for both countries to put an end to this conflict, direct negotiations between Repsol and YPF or going to an international court to put it to rest seem the most quick and effective way to do so.

    Sep 12th, 2013 - 02:28 am 0
  • agent999

    @1

    We all know what Argentina will do if the international courts do not agree with Argentina.

    Sep 12th, 2013 - 04:20 am 0
  • Idlehands

    I'm guessing the Argentine plan is not to pay anything unless somehow forced to.

    CFK is in her twilight so will just try to kick anything bad down the road for any successor to deal with.

    Sep 12th, 2013 - 04:50 am 0
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